Choi and Scott charge, but Stefani keeps US PGA lead

AFP, PALM HARBOR, Florida

Sun, Mar 17, 2013 - Page 20

Australia’s Adam Scott and South Korea’s K.J. Choi charged into contention on Friday at the US PGA Tampa Bay Championship, but US rookie Shawn Stefani clung to the lead after 36 holes.

Choi opened with an eagle on his way to a four-under par 67 while Scott fired a bogey-free 66, but Stefani’s 70 was enough to keep him ahead on seven-under par 135 after the second round at the US$5.5 million event.

Scott and Choi shared second on 136 with Americans Brian Harman, Harris English, Jason Dufner and Peter Tomasulo another stroke off the pace and Spain’s Sergio Garcia and American Tag Ridings sharing eighth on 138.

Choi, who won the Tampa Bay title in 2002 and 2006, followed his stellar start with a birdie at the sixth, but stumbled with a bogey at the par-3 eighth.

Birdies at the par-5 11th and par-3 13th and 15th holes lifted Choi into a share of the lead, but a bogey at the par-4 16th dropped him back as he bids for his first US tour triumph since the 2011 Players Championship.

AVANTHA MASTERS

Reuters, NEW DELHI

South African Thomas Aiken carded a blemish-free round of 10-under-par 62 to grab a commanding three-stroke lead after the third round of the Avantha Masters yesterday.

The 29-year-old from Johannesburg, trailing by four at the halfway stage, hit eight birdies and an eagle to be 18-under on 198 and move ahead of 36-hole joint-leader Liang Wenchong of China, who shot a 69 for outright second.

Thailand’s big-hitting Kiradech Aphibarnrat (66) and Scotland’s David Drysdale (68) were tied for third, a further shot behind on 14-under.